a troubled partnership
by gormogon
Summary: takes place after chief wuornos dies and where Nathan is the new chief,audrey and nathan are getting closer..
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

Audrey opens her dockside door to a beautiful albeit quite normal sunny day and a curious parcel on her porch like an abandoned toy.

Little did she know that box was a novel full of enlightenment.

An hour later Nathan's latest incident report was replaced with a leather weather-beaten journal and when he looked up to an agitated but exuberant Audrey he couldn't help but say

'why good morning Audrey and eh…. you know people usually have doghnuts or pancakes for breakfast around here right?'

He unavoidably felt a slight jolt of happiness in himself too at calling her Audrey….and the smell of her perfume…he would never get used to this…

'Nathan,do you know what this is?'

'Audrey I really don't have time to play the guessing game here,Im swamped with these reports-

'Nathan please…just open it'

With serious unyielding eyes Audrey coerced Nathan into opening the journal,he took a moment to register her close proximity as she currently leant in towards him over his desk but became instantly serious when he saw the insciption inside.

'when did you get this?'

'this morning,it was left outside my door…have you ever seen it before..did you know he kept a diary?'

'cause we were so close-

'Nathan this is really important he must have sent it before he died or he made sure it was sent after he died'

'Did you read it yet?'

'I thought you should have it'

'it was addressed to you Audrey'

'Nathan its your father's diary,it wouldn't be right if I read it unless…'

'unless what?'

'unless its not a diary but more of a message maybe its an account of the Troubles in the past…maybe he's trying to help us help the Troubled now?'

'like guidelines?'

'something like that yeah'

'but I was there for the Troubles once believe me its different this time'

' maybe you just think that remember the chameleon case…maybe the Troubles are a reaccuring thing..Nathan there may be a pattern to them?'


	2. Chapter 2

'Audrey,are you hearing yourself? this isn't some jigsaw puzzle,it doesn't fit some sort of perfect plan…its random,it always has been'

and unpredictable Nathan added quietly to himself,like you coming into my life as he gazed at Audrey

'still I don't feel comfortable reading it by myself, I mean, it's your father's diary'

the agitation seemed to be conatagious in the room

'oh wait Audrey,are you asking me to read it too?'

at her slight nod Nathan stood to say

'thank you Audrey but I barely knew the man when he was alive and I'd like to keep it that way,I'm not gonna learn anything in there he didn't want to tell me himself when he was alive ok?'

'Nathan your father sacrificed his life for you me and everyone in this town and I don't know about you but that's the biggest thing anyone has ever done for me.

'This may be his way of reaching out to us,you know he was never really a great speaker but maybe he made up for it with this' Audrey held the Diary like it was the Bible.

'I don't know about you but I'd like to hear what he has to say,it's the least I can do for the man that saved my life'

On picking up her coat off her chair she added 'Ill be at home if Haven needs me'

The irony is Nathan had lived with this troubled Island for many had become accustomed to and almost immune to the weirdness but when he was signing off on a report about flying frogs in the harbour,he still caught himself snorting at the surrealism of it all.

He had long ago convinced himself he would never find a cure for his condition but then again he craved that connection and unique bond with Audrey and from what he had experienced over the last two years being emotional brought more destuction than construction or closure.

It made people do extraordinary things.

His father's greatest and final act for example,the first selfless and progressive act Nathan had ever seen him do.

Maybe Audrey was right,it could be possible that the Troubles are an introduction to a more intricate scheme and if so he just had to figure out his part in it all.

An hour later,with added conscience and armed with an apology,Nathan arrived at Audrey's door.

when he knocked he didn't expect a teary eyed Audrey to answer the door especially when he rarely witnessed this side of reflex reaction was to shut down since he never was any good at facing emotion but when he thought he could feel the pain emanating from her he went to hug her around her waist so she couldn't protest and regain composure.

'Audrey if I thought it would have this much of an affect I wouldn't have let you read it'

coming out of the mould of Nathan's body Audrey swiped tears from her cheeks and said something that worried Nathan

'who knows who I am Nathan?It looks like Lucy was having a good time in my body'

Nathan answered her with a questioning frown while his stomach spoke up too.

Audrey laughed at this and it seemed to dissolve her pain for a minute or two as she dragged her feet back to the couch pointing a thumb at the microwave she added

'I made some lasagne earlier,there's some left in the microwave'

'are you sure?' he couldn't use the excuse of already eating when his stomach gave him up so he grabbed a plate and fork and made his way back to the paused after the first bite to say

'homemade cooking,I haven't had that ever since….my mum died'

'oh well thanks,cooking is about the only normal routine in my life right now?'

Nathan puts down his plate at this,he feels a serious situation coming on and prepares his question correctly in his head

'Audrey are you thinking of leaving Haven?'

'what? no what made you ask that?Nathan I am a part of this place,I am important to these people'

'you speak about Haven as if you owe your life to it,but you don't,you can have a normal life if you want to,change the pattern like you said,get in your car and never look back'

'did you ever think about driving off Nathan? no because this is your home and it was your family's home for the last couple decades and the same goes for me'

'I just feel like you're looking at this place as a responsibility and one day you'll get tired of saving people and you will end up resenting it'

'I love my work,I like these people and growing up I never felt like I belonged but now I do,I have found my place'

'so then its something in the diary that's upset you,isn't it?'

'I was wrong about the purpose of it,its not about the Troubles,its about Lucy'


	3. Chapter 3

That name seemed to be a burden on Audrey,Nathan wished he could inherit her he couldn't even feel his own so…

Having noticed Nathan had stopped eating on her revelation Audrey ordered Nathan 'eat your food while Im talking I think it will help if your not looking directly at me'

Like that was possible Nathan thought quietly she almost had this gravitational pull on Nathan and asking him not to indulge in the pleasure of 'sensing' her was like asking a child not to play.

'I don't know how to put this,cause I know it was hard for me to find out but'(deep breath)'here goes,according to this whatever this is,your father was involved with Lucy a bit more than we thought at first'

Nathan nearly broke his front teeth on the fork as he bit down hard,choking the food down he gasped

'and by involved you mean?'

Audrey couldn't look at Nathan instead she focused on a spot on the felt guilty even though she wasn't technically to blame.

'your kidding me right?'

To try and lighten the mood Audrey quoted Nathan 'you learn something new everyday'

But Nathans despair drowned out the forced humour and Audery added more solemnly 'if you want to read through it in your own time Ill give you some space ok? But the dates match to the apperance of Lucy and her involvement in the Colorado Kid murder'

Finding it difficult to gauge Nathan's mood Audrey decided to lay everything on him 'theres something else'

A black and white photo showing an almost identical Nathan standing next to a now blonde Lucy bearing a significant resemblance to Audrey of course.

It didn't escape either of their notices

'Its like Freaky Friday huh?' only Audrey was brave enough to break the silence first.

'he looks so happy…I don't think I ever saw him smile'

Audrey puts a supportive hand on Nathans knee before she remembers

' that's not all,apparently Dave was a lot closer to Lucy too but your father fought for her'

After a five minute tense pause of silence,Audrey added

'I should have listened to you and not read it,I don't want to know this'

But Nathan was still staring at the photo and while Audrey was slowly accepting the reality of the past and the nature of it Nathan was swelling with anger inside.

'this whole thing explains why my mother was so unhappy?'

He began pacing the floor in calculated anger.

While my mother was crying herself to sleep at night my father was having an affair with her'he pointed at the photo in disgust.

'oh Nathan I am so sorry I had no idea,I never….you never talk about her'

'no its not you Audrey but that woman destroyed my I wish she never came to Haven for all the people she helped she sure left a mess behind her'

'im so sorry but I just….I just cant look at you right now I have to go'

He knocks over a small table as he leaves Audrey's in a fury,little was he aware that he left Audrey in a mess that night himself.


	4. Chapter 4

At 2 am Duke received a choked phone call from an obviously upset Audrey asking him to check on Nathan and when he began fussing over her she made him promise to check on hung up just in time to let the tears overpower her.

Duke found Nathan in an even worse state at the was curled up on the floor much like when he was restrained on Duke's boat and wracking his body in hysterical instead of comforting him,Duke confronted him.

'Nathan what's up with Audrey,she called me crying?'

No answer and no recognition he tried again

'what did you do to Audrey?'

All Nathan kept mumbling was 'Lucy'

'oh boy I should get paid for all this therapy work'

Kneeling down in front of him like he were talking to a child

'ok Nathan this nice lady told me to come here and as a good friend I suggest a tasty beverage for this conversation'scanning around the room

'because you are going to talk to me,it's a given and then we'll visit my other good friend who owes me big time,but also of course I'm very worried about her too!'

Audrey simply pulled the blinds closed when the sun began peering through her window like an unwanted guest.

She uncharacteristically admitted defeat to this situation and gave in to her exhaustion from crying into the early hours.

Her nightmare turned into a reality when she heard a distant knock from the conscious world that pulled her from sleep and made her groggily shout 'just leave the mail by the door please'

'it's a parcel ma'am and you need to sign for it'

'ugh please I am not in the mod for this'

'come on Audrey open up,its me Duke,you know the guy who apparently does big favours for people at 2 am in the morning because they have nothing else-

Audrey opened the door nearly blinding herself in the process to Dukes smug she let her eyes readjust to the light,he couldn't help himself

'well good morning sleeping beauty,I see you've not been taking your happy pills lately either'

'please Duke Im just tired that's all'

'its ok really cause your prince charming is here'

Duke steps aside to reveal Nathan whose hollowed eyes rise to meet her swollen ones and anticipate her next move so before she has time to react he steps forward pushing past Duke and walks to stand beside her.

'you guys,if only I had a camera but I guess Ill see you both later stuff to see people to do you know how it goes….'

But as he walks away he turns to add joke at the end of the deck

'That was not cool Duke,we'll talk about this later'

Half of Audrey's rant is lost because her throat is hoarse from the lack of sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok a little warning before this chapter I'm a romantic at heart and naively believe in the perfect relationship so obviously I'm a shipper. For any of you that don't like the whole romance between the two main characters of Haven you may not like this chapter but anyways here goes…**

She seems so unlike the tough, abrasive Audrey standing in front of him with puffy red cheeks and pyjamas.

He hated himself for inflicting any kind of pain on all it wasn't her fault.

Feeling informal but defensive with ams crossed in front of Nathan Audrey broke first

'I couldn't go to work today…I….became sick last night'

'its quiet at the station for once so-

'I should probably go lie dwn now so you can leave yourself out'his pleading tone made her turn around to face him again.

'listen Audrey I cant apologise enough for putting you though whatever you went through last night'

'you don't look so hot yourself Nathan or haven't you been able to look in a mirror?'

'if you're asking whether I'm afraid I'll see my father staring back at me from the mirror then I will say yes ever since seeing that picture I can positively tell you I am frightened I look like him'

Audrey drops her arms as her interest peaks

'but I am also positive that I am not my father,I have principles and shoulder my responsibilities not shirk them like he did and I just needed time to notice that I came to the good sense that you are nothing like Lucy'

'Lucy played with my father and with Dave,I don't know why,maybe it was genuine maybe she just liked it but you are completely different you care about people,you,ve dedicated your life selflessly to this place and you consider these people's feelings in every have this ability to connect and empathise with people that I could never achieve'

By now Audrey's mouth was ajar from this surprising and uncommon emotional outburst from Nathan but he held her eye level and continued in a passion

'now that I think about it I remember my mother was unhappy long before the affair started so at least my father was happy,I just wish he never caused this much pain to you,you don't deserve that'

When Audrey was sure Nathan had reached a close on his side,ending with a deep breath like he was deflating from the speech she added her side

'of course I care about people Nathan,its what I do and I like not a burden or some curse,it's a gift to last night it felt like you were comparing me with a ghost and laying her mistakes on me' at the mention of his performance last night Nathan stiffened.

honestly it felt like you were alienating me from my own home,I felt as lost as when I first arrived and that was a sinking,hollow feeling I never want to feel again'

As if he were trying to transfer her pain into himself,Nathan hugged Audrey around the waist again.

She went silent and he considered the fact that maybe she was still angry with him but when he tried to move out from her,she held him by the elbws in a 1950's type pose.

He couldn't help but taste her rose coloured lips and the sensational tingle in his lips as he did so made him ecstatically addicted to it.

Suddenly it sounded like his heart was pumping all his cells to the front of his body so that they could feel the electricity coming from Audrey.

The effect wasn't lost on Audrey either whose stomach was cocooning with butterflies and surrounding her heart with their flutter.

'Nathan doll you better get on down to the dockside we've got a whale washed up on shore'

As the walkie talkie cut out so did their moment so for now it was over but this story didn't have a conclusion yet and every storm has a breakthrough.


End file.
